The Complete Guide To Buying A Used Car: Introduction

When it comes to buying a new car, someone else's trade-in could very well be your next treasure. Right now, there's a huge demand for used cars in America's auto market. Every day, thousands of vehicles across the country change hands from their first owner to their second – and for good reason. There's never been a better time to invest in a used vehicle. Today's automobiles are being made with high-quality components that allow them to drive hundreds of thousands of miles before suffering a major breakdown. On top of that, new services make it easy to check a used car's history for any undisclosed "fender benders" before you buy. Most importantly, used cars can provide you with all the space, features and performance that you're looking for in your next vehicle at a fraction of the cost of their brand-new counterparts, making them ideal for anyone shopping on a tight budget.

For all of their benefits, though, used cars also carry their fair share of risks. These vehicles will often have tens of thousands of miles under their belt by the time you get your hands on the title. As a result, they're more prone to breakdowns than new cars. This problem is compounded by the fact that pre-owned vehicles don't enjoy the same sort of warranties that new vehicles do. Therefore, buyers need to be very scrutinizing when shopping around the used car lots. That's where this guide comes in. We've outlined all of the major decisions and obstacles you'll face when shopping for a used vehicle, along with some advice on how to handle them. Over the next few pages, we'll teach you how to choose a car, how to inspect it, how to negotiate a buying price and even how to apply for financing when you commit to the sale.